After trying Campbell's Italian-Style Wedding Soup one week at the store, we thought it would be fun to make this soup ourselves. A few weeks later, the Penzeys spice catalog showed up (always a treat to read), and what should appear but a recipe for Italian Wedding Soup. We've tried two versions so far and are still working to perfect it. The first time, the spinach was overbearing, and we learned that 1 cup frozen spinach is about the same as twice as much fresh spinach. This time, I added a bit more orzo pasta than asked for, creating a pasta meal instead of a soup. So, make sure there's enough stock for your pasta, especially if you plan to store the soup for later, and try to keep the meatballs small.

It can't be soup week without two soups, so Laura made a wonderful version of the Mushroom Potato Soup, which we've updated online. It turns out Yukon Gold potatoes make for a much different and richer taste, and leaving out the milk or cream not only makes it last longer, but the taste is just about the same. I'm sure we'll return to this soup often when the weather is cold.